Spark-plug



M. W. PERRY.

SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2, 1920.

Pat nted Dec. 14, 1920.

INVEN TOR.

WIWVESS Z;

MWPe/"r BY 1 mfrmvxg 7% TORNEYS MELVIN W. PERRY, 0F ALGOMA, WISCONSIN.

SPARK-PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedDec. 14, 1920 Application filed April 2, 1920. -serial' No.370,742.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known'that I, MELVIN W. PERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Algoma, in the county of- Kewaunee and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark- Plugs, ofwhich the following is a spec1fication.

My invention relates useful improvements in spark plugs,

to certain new and and has for its object to provide a spark plug of thecharacter specified, adapted for use in explosive engines of anycharacter, and wherein a means is provided in connection with the plugfor preventing the collection of carbon or other deposit. between thepoints of the electrodes and for maintaining them clean and bright toinsure afull sized heavy spark.

With these and other objects in. view my invention consists in certainconstructions, combinations and arrangements of parts the preferred formof which will be first de scribed in connection with the accompanyingdrawing and then the invention particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Referring to the drawings wherein I show several embodiments of myinvention, and wherein the same part is designated by the same referencenumeral wherever it occurs,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of myimproved spark plug;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of the plug showing thesame construction as that illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the parts forming my improvement shown.in separated relation;

Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2 with. parts in section illustrating amodification; and

- Fig. 5 is a detail side view of the movable cleaning member shown inFig. 4.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a complete plug is shown and in which10 designates the body portion having its lower end reduced and threadedso that it is adapted to be screwed into the spark plug opening of thecylinder. 11 is the packing nut holding the insulated plug 12 in placewithin the body portion 10. The portion 12 is provided with alongitudinally extending axial opening through which passes theelectrode 13. The upper end of the electrode 13 is threaded and the nuts14 and 15 are threaded on to the electrode above the up-- .per end ofthe insulating plug 1-2, the nut 14 holding the electrode in place whilethe nut 15 cooperates with the nut 14 to clamp the battery connection inplace.

The foregoing constructionmaybe varied as desired and the specificform-is-shown only for the purpose of illustration.

16 designates a yoke the ends of :which are secured in-the lower endof'the body portion 10, the yoke havingits lower-cen tral portion formedinto a ring 17 :In this ring is mounted a movable member 18 formed ofsuitable insulating material such as porcelain or the like. The movablemember 13 has a cone shapedbodyportion 19 provided at its-upper-end:with a flange 20,

the flange 20 being adapted when-the parts are in position torest uponthe uppers'urface of the ring 17 and support the cone in the positionshown in Figs. land 2.

The .cone shaped portion is preferably provided withvspiralrgrooves 21which extend around theperiph-ery of the cone and which at eachexplosionin-the cylinder assist in rotating the cone in the ring 17 The electrode13 isprovidedat its lower end with an enlargement22 the lower surface ofwhich extends over the flange-20. thus the flange. acts toseparate theend 22 of theelectrode 13 =fromthe ring-22. In order to permit a sparkto jump from the electrode 22 to the ring 17 I provide the flange 20with a slot or notch 23.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the spark can jumpfrom the end 22 of the electrode 13 to the ring 17 carried on the lowerend of the part 10 through the slot 23 of the flange 20, and that thepressure developed in the engine cylinder on each upstroke of the pistonwill act on the conical member 18 to rotate the latter and consequentlymove the flange 20 around on the ring 17. In the rotation of the member18 the flange 20 will be lifted so that its upper surface will contactwith the under surface 22 of the electrodes 13.

It will thus be seen that due to the rotation of the member 18 anycarbon, oil or the like, which may be on either the ring 17 or the head22 will be scraped or rubbed off and the members kept bright.Furthermore, the points on the head 22 and the ring 17 between which thespark jumpswill be constantly changed.-

Referring now to the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the electrode13 is formed the member 32 will rotate said member.

The depending flange 81 is provided with a slot 35 through which thespark may jump from the head 30 to the ring 17. It will be seen that themovement of the portion 32 will keep the head 30 and the ring 1'? cleanin this form of construction in a similar way to that heretoforedescribed in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

Considerable variation of the details asdescribed herein may be resortedto Without departure from the spirit of the invention which is to beconstrued in the light of the followin claims:

l/Vhat claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spark plug for hydrocarbon engines having one electrode formed intoa ring and the other electrode formed into a head, a member formed ofinsulating material mounted in the ring and adapted to be moved by thepressure in the cylinder, said member being provided with an openingthrough which the spark may jump from one electrode to the other.

2. A spark plug for hydrocarbon engines having one electrode formed into.a ring and the other electrode formed into a head, a i

member formed of insulating 'material' mounted in the ring and adaptedto be moved by the pressure in the cylinder, spiral grooves cut in saidmember to assist in the rotation thereof, said member being providedwith an opening through which the spark may jump from one electrode tothe other.

4. A spark plug for hydrocarbon engines having one electrode formed intoa ring and the other electrode formed into a head, a

member formed with insulating material mounted in the. ring and adaptedto be moved by pressure in the cylinder, said member comprising a coneshaped body portion adapted to extend through the ring, and a flangeextending outwardly from the base of the cone and adapted to rest on topof the ring, said flange being provided with an opening through whichthe spark -may jump from one electrode to the other.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

MELVIN W..PERRY.

Witnesses:

CARL E. FABRY, JERRY JEIEBEK.

